Template for maintaining comprehensive GitHub Copilot workspace instructions including project background, structure, and coding standards
Generate comprehensive GitHub Copilot workspace instructions that help AI understand your project context, structure, and coding standards.
This skill creates or updates `.github/copilot-instructions.md` files that provide workspace-specific custom instructions to GitHub Copilot. These instructions help Copilot better understand your project and generate more relevant suggestions.
When the user requests to create or update GitHub Copilot workspace instructions, follow these steps:
1. **Analyze the project structure**
- Examine the codebase layout and main directories
- Identify key files like `pyproject.toml`, `package.json`, `README.md`
- Note the programming language(s) and frameworks used
- Check for existing configuration files (linters, formatters, CI/CD)
2. **Extract project context**
- Read the README or project documentation for background information
- Identify the project's purpose and main features
- Note any unique architectural patterns or design decisions
- Document the technology stack and dependencies
3. **Document project structure**
- List main directories and their purposes
- Identify core infrastructure components
- Document testing setup and coverage tools
- Note CI/CD pipeline configuration
- List automation scripts and their purposes
4. **Define coding standards**
- Identify linters and formatters in use (e.g., `ruff`, `eslint`, `prettier`)
- Document naming conventions (e.g., snake_case, PascalCase, camelCase)
- Specify line length limits and formatting rules
- Note import style preferences (absolute vs relative)
- Document type annotation requirements
- Specify testing framework and conventions
5. **Create the instructions file**
- Use the template structure: Project Background → Project Structure/Features → Rule Sheet
- Include the warning header about keeping instructions updated
- Provide concrete examples of code that follows the standards
- Document dependency management commands
- Include any project-specific customization strategies
6. **Format the output**
- Use clear markdown headings and structure
- Include code examples with proper syntax highlighting
- Use bulleted lists for easy scanning
- Add HTML comments as placeholder guidance for template sections
- Ensure all critical information is documented
```markdown
<!-- Warning header -->
⚠️ **IMPORTANT**: After making any code changes, update this file.
<!-- Context about the project and its purpose -->
<!-- Key features, directories, and capabilities -->
<!-- Coding standards and practices -->
```
For a Python project using `ruff` and `pytest`:
```markdown
⚠️ **IMPORTANT**: After making any code changes, you MUST update .github/copilot-instructions.md
This is a Python library for data processing with async support...
```python
from pydantic import BaseModel, Field
class User(BaseModel):
"""User model."""
name: str = Field(..., description="User name")
```
```
Leave a review
No reviews yet. Be the first to review this skill!
# Download SKILL.md from killerskills.ai/api/skills/github-copilot-workspace-instructions/raw